"There were some terrific metal/hard rock releases this year but my
pick of the litter is KISS' Monster. Forget the makeup and still stellar
stage show - this is about the music and
these four guys brought it big time this year. Monster is a nice big
slab of metallic hard rock created by a band that could easily kick back
and ride the wave of their legacy into the sunset, but instead chooses
to crunch and grind, still more than able to craft killer riffs with
fire and brimstone lyrical hooks. "Wall of Sound," "Back to the Stone
Age" and "Shout Mercy" (among others) harken back to the Love Gun era
without feeling at all stale. In fact, these guys seem more inspired
thanever, a testament to the blue-collar work ethic that has always
defined this band for many of us."